Process of yarn manufacturing



Patented May 13, 1952 PROCESS OF YARN MANUFACTURING Robert G. Dort, Summit, N. J., assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing.

Application April 7, 1950,

Serial No. 154,741

8 Claims.

This invention relates to yarns and relates more particularly to heavy denier, continuous filament yarns suitable for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile materials.

As is well known, the heavy denier yarns that are employed for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile materials must exhibit a high degree of resilience so that they will regain their shape after being placed under load. These heavy denier yarns must also show little tendency toward matting which would rapidly destroy the usefulness of the materials produced therefrom. When heavy denier yarns are employed for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile materials having a cut pile, the yarns must have the ability to bloom or expand so that the cut pile will present a desirable uniform appearance. In addition, the heavy denier yarns must be uniform throughout their cross-section and must be easily handled both during the manufacture, dyeing and other processing thereof and during the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabric and similar textile materials therefrom.

Heretofore, it has been the general practice to prepare heavy denier yarns suitable for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile materials from natural fibers or from synthetic fibers of staple length. As will be readily apparent, there is a considerable expense involved in converting the natural fibers or synthetic fibers of staple length into yarns, which expense increases the cost of the materials produced from said yarns.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a process for the manufacture of heavy denier yarns suitable for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile materials that will be free from the foregoing and other disadvantages of the processes previously used for this purpose.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an eflicient and inexpensive process for the manufacture of heavy denier, continuous filament yarns suitable for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile materials.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

I have now discovered that the expense involved in converting natural fibers or synthetic fibers of stable length into heavy denier yarns suitable for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile materials may be eliminated by manufacturing said heavy denier yarns from continuous filaments. According to the present invention, a large number of continuous filaments are assembled in substantially parallel relation to form a tow having a total denier of between about 1,000 and 10,000. The individual filaments going into said tow may have a denier of between about 3 and 40 to produce yarns suitable for conversion into carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile materials of all weights and types. It is, however. preferred to keep the denier of the individual filaments between about 8 and 20, it having been found that filaments of this denier produce yarns possessing the most desirable characteristics. The individual filaments are preferably assembled into a tow in the spinning apparatus in which they are formed or immediately after they leave such spinning apparatus.

The tow is treated so as to impart a crimp to the individual filaments contained therein. Crimping may be effected by passing the tow through a stuffing box, between a pair of crimping rollers or by any other mechanical means that will distort the individual filaments under a suificient pressure to impart a permanent set thereto. Advantageously, the tow is flattened to form a ribbon of continuous filaments before it is passed through the crimping mechanism so that all the filaments will have a crimp imparted thereto.

It is essential that the continuous filaments be in substantially parallel relation and extend along the length of the tow during the crimping operation. If the tow has any appreciable twist therein, or if the continuous filaments are not in substantially parallel relation, the superficial filaments of the tow will act as a cushion to limit the effect of the crimping mechanism on the inner filaments of the tow and these inner filaments will receive little or no crimp. A tow containing filaments having little or no crimp will not be suitable for the production of heavy denier yarns. The crimp increases the resilience of the continuous filaments and also the ability of the yarns containing the same to bloom or expand when they are employed for the production of a cut pile. The crimp also improves the handling properties of the tow, preventing the individual filaments from tangling one with the other and from separating completely from the tow.

Following the crimping operation, a twist of from about 2 to 12 turns per inch is applied to 3 the tow converting it into yarn. Twisting may be carried out on any textile apparatus suitable for the purpose such as a cap twister, a ring twister or the like. It is undesirable to put a twist higher than 12 turns per inch into the yarn since the high twist will impede the access of dyebaths and other processing solutions tothje filaments lying at thec'enter of the yarn. Similarly, it is undesirable to put a twist lower than 2 turns per inch into the yarn since such a low twist will permit xwashedand dried-and may then be employed for the lproduction of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics "and" similar textile materials having either "afloop' pile or a'cut pile.

"The yarnproduced in accordance with this invention may be'used alone orthey may be'plied with 'fr'oml to 7 other-yarns having the same or "ar'evers'e twist and formed from natural fibers for from 'the same or different synthetic fibers. Theplied yarn may have a twist of from to 20 turnsjperinch therein. The filaments of all of thefy'arnsthat are plied'one-with the other may have: ab'asis'of an organic derivative of cellulose s'uch'f'as cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate c'e'llulosebutyrate, cellulose acetate-propionate,

' c'ell'ul'ose"acetate-butyrate, ethyl cellulose, bensyl "celluloselor'the like. Alternatively, yarns prefeared inaccor'dance with the process offthis inventi'onand composed of continuous filaments having a basis of an organic derivative of cellulose such as cellulose acetatemay'be 'plied with 'woolen or 'cottonyarns 'or'with'yarnshaving a tans-or regenerated cellulose, such'as viscose yarns. when plied "yarns containing fibers of .jdiifereneo'mposition'are employed for the proid 'tion' ofcarp'etin'g; heavy upholstery fabric and m'llar" t'e'x'tile materials these' materials maybe eyes in a manner" well :k'nown in the art to impart thereto a novel and unusual appearance.

, rneronowm exampie is given' to illustrate this invention further.

' -Emample 'Alarge number of c'ontinuous'filaments oi'cel- 1 flu-lose acetate having a" denier of '17 are assembled, "as they leave the spinning apparatus in which they'are formed, into 'atow having a total "denier'oi 2300. The tow is passed directly to a "crimping apparatus wherein it'is flattened to individual filaments to be separated from the blinga plurality of continuous unitaiy filaments in substantially "parallelrelatiomto form a tow having a total denier of between about 1,000 and 10,000, crimping all the filaments in the tow while thefilaments are in substantially parallel relation in a single plane and extend along the length "of the tow, and"applying a twist to the tow of betweenabout-2and 12 turns per inch.

'denier"yarns-suitable for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile-materials, the steps which comprise assembling a plurality of continuous unitary filaments having a denier between about 3 and in substantially parallel relation" to form" a tow having a total denierof between about'fgo'oo and 10,000, crimping 'all the filaments in"thetowwliilethe filaments are in substantially parallel'rel'ationfin a single plane and extend alongthe lengthbf the tow, and applying a' twist to the tow ofbetween about 2 and I'Ztiiilis per ifich.

'3. In a process ror'tnemanufacture-orheavy denier yarns suitable for theprodutiontrcarpeting, heavy upholster fabris 'ah' d similar txtile lmaterials, the steps which comprise assembling a plurallty of continuous unitary' mamms having a denier between abouts and '20- insubstantiallyfparallel relation to "farm 'a tot/"having a total denier of between about rpooand 10,000,

crimping 'all ftl ieTfilanients in the w while the filaments areiin'substantia1-1y paranrrelation in a single plane and irterid along the ln'g'th 'of'the tow, and applying a" twist to the tow of between about 2 andl2 turns per inch.

, 4(In a process 'for'thle manufaeture 'ofiheavy denier yarns suitable for "the production .--of carpeting, heavy upholsteryffabrics and similar textile materials; thesteps whichcompriseiassembling a plurality of continuous filaments in s'uo I stantially. parallel relation to form a tdwihatins total denier 'or' between. about 1,000 and: 10,000,

"flatteningthe tow to for'm a ribbonof continuous "filaments, .criniping all the filaments in the "fiattoned tow whiletheIfilaments are insubstantially parallel relationfan'dextend alon'g tlie=length of .the 'tow, and applying a f twist to i.the "tow V of between. about 2 and 12 turnsper "inch.

5. In aprocesslfor the 'manufacture 6f heavy denier yarns suitable for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar textile materialsfthesteps which comprise assembling'a plurality of continuous "filaments'havin adenier between about 8 and 20in substantially.

parallel relation to form t a tow I having a total denier of between about'1,000 and 10,000, flattening the tow to form a ribbon-of continuous filaments, crimping all the filaments in the flattened tow while the filaments are in substantially parallel relation and eiiten'd along the. length of "the tow, and applyinga'itwist to-thetow ofbetween about '2 a'nd'12 turns per'ineh.

6. In a processfor the manufacture of heavy denier yarns suitable for 'the' production of carpeting, heavyupholsteryiabrics and similar 'textilematerials'the steps which comprise assembling a plurality ofcontinuous filaments'having a basis of an organic derivative ofc'ellulose and havinga denier between'about'8 and20 insubstantially parallel relation to forma tow having a total denier of between about 1,000 and 10,000, flattening the tow to form a ribbon of continuous filaments, crimping all the filaments in the flattened tow while the filaments are in substantially parallel relation and extend along the length of the tow, and applying a twist to the tow of between about 2 and 12 turns per inch.

7. In a process for the manufacture of heavy denier yarns suitable for the production of carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and similar teritile materials, the steps which comprise assembling a plurality of continuous filaments having a basis of cellulose acetate and having a denier between about 8 and 20 in substantially parallel relation to form a tow having a total denier of between about 1,000 and 10,000, flattening the tow to form a ribbon of continuous filaments, crimping all the filaments in the flattened tow while the filaments are in substantially parallel relation and extend along the length of the tow, and applying a twist to the tow of between about 2 and 12 turns per inch.

8. In a process for the manufacture of heavy denier yarns suitable for the production of 6 carpeting, heavy upholstery fabrics and. similar textile materials, the steps which comprise assem bling a plurality of continuous filaments having a basis of cellulose acetate and having a denier between about 8 and 20 in substantially parallel relation to form a tow having a total denier of between about 1,000 and 10,000, flattening the tow to form a ribbon of continuous filaments, crimping all the filaments in the flattened tow while the filaments are in substantially parallel relation and extend along the length of the: tow, applying a twist to the tow of between about 2 and 12 turns per inch to convert the same to a yarn, and plying the yarnwith other yarns.

ROBERT G. DORT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED. STATES PATENTS Name Date Rutishauser Aug. 29, 1944 Number 

